Tractor



July 3, 1934.

G. J. ZIEGLER TRACTOR 5 Sheets-Sheef l Filed Oct. l0. 1932 'eor July 3,1934.

G. J. ZIEGLER TRACTOR Filed Oct. l0. 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet @aan .Dawn

"` Izzven for. gler.

Wei/fome G. J. ZIEGLER July 3, 1934.

TRACTOR Filed Oct. l0. 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 3, 1934. G. J. zlEGLER1,964,779

TRACTOR Filed oct. 1o. 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Iz? vele faz'.

G. J. zlEGLl-:R

July 3, 1934.

TRACTOR Filed Oct. 10. 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 MSW z W eav m @ZV/W. Lw lJwww-- QJ t@ 7/ Patented July 3, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE onehalfto Charles J.

Calif.

Heyler, Los Angeles,

Application october 1o', 1932, serial No. 637,051

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a tractor of the tread chain type and theprincipal object is to provide a tractor in which traction increases ina near corresponding ratio to the increase of pulling or retardingstrain on the tractor draw bar. That is, the tractor is constructed soit normally travels on relatively short rearward portions of itsparallel tread track chains with the forward end portions of the chainssupported out of contact with the ground; and in this construction andarrangement of parts I provide means for laying down more of the trackchains into tractional contact with the ground in a near proportion orratio of traction to the pulley strain on the tractor draw bar. To thatend I provide a relatively simple means for laying down under excessivestrains nearly twice as much of the track chains as that on which thetractor normally travels.

The foregoing result is accomplished by constructing the tractor so thatnormally and under ordinary duty it travels on a relatively small rearportion of the track chains, the front end por-v tions of the chainsbeing carried in an elevated position out of contact with the ground,but when there is a heavy or excessive pull on the tractor draw bar suchas to raise the front weighted and suspended end of the tractor frame,levers are automatically moved down today more .of the track chains intofrictional contact with the ground.

When the front end of the tractor frame Iis moved upward it also movesthe spindles on which the rear .ends `of the carrier levers are mountedso that the .Weighted front ,ends thereof automatically move downward.to cause more of the chains to come into tractional `Contact with theground. In other words .the suspended, weighted frontend of the tractorframe and `the means for causing more of .the `chains to .come intotractional contact with the Aground for traction .purposes .coact toprevent the tractor from somersaulting backwards when its draw `bar issubjected to an `excessive stopping strain or pull. Another object of`the invention is to provide a tractor that is especially designed :to`protect a driver from injury either by the tractor somersaultingbackward or Aby the driver falling "in front of any ,apparatus such as amower or disk plow being drawn by ,the tractor. To that end I provide arearward `adjustable seat extension to the tractor .that .has a closedsteel bottom and sides .formnga compartmentin which the driver can besafely seated withftheextension arranged so ,it Yforms `a stop .to,prevent the ltractor from (C1. IBO-9.1)

somersaulting backward when suddenly stopped by an excessive pull on itsdraw bar.

As is well known, such sudden stops of tractors as constructedheretofore, has caused them to often turn over backwards with fatalresults and, as previously indicated, one of the objects of thisinvention is to provide a tractor in which such accidents are fullyavoided by means of the suspended and weighted front end ofthe tractorframe and its rearward steel extension. Y

A feature of invention is shown in the oonstruction, combination andarrangement of parts whereby the tractor is normally supported on therelatively short lengths of the track chains extending forwardly fromthe vertical center 70 through the drive Wheels to points slightly inadvance of its center of gravity to thereby facilitate the short turningof the tractor.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side .elevation ,of a tractor constructed in accordancewith this invention, showing a driver mounted on the adjustable safetyseat and also showing the tractor Ynormally trav.- eling .on fourflanges .of the track chain, it being understood that there is a track`chain on each side of the tractor.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental plan View of the tractor with parts omitted,showing the 'general arrangement of the parts yand also showing thefront end of the tractor in a suspended position, ,the driving meansbeing indicated semidiagrammatically.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a rocking lever and associated parts that arearranged on opposite sides of the frame to support the .tractor atpoints slightly in front .of its Vcenter .of gravity.

Fig. 4 is va diagrammatic plan view of the tractor. Y

Fig. 5 is a plan yiew of .the tractor illustrating how itcan-be turnedin .either `direction in anarc, 95 the radius of which is of less length.than .the length of the tractor.

Fig. .6 is a diagrammatic side viewof Athe tractor analogous to Fig. 1,illustrating how thesuspended front ends Vof the track chainsautomatically move down to increase the traction ofthe tractor when itsyframe is tilted upward.

Fig. '7 isa View analogous vto Fig. 6 showing more of the track chain,in `tractional `contact with the `ground and the ,frontend of Ytheframe tilted to a higherelevation, Yas by a .pullon the tractordraw-bar.

Fig. 8 Iis a viewanalogous to Fig. A6 yona ,much smaller scale showingthe tractor frame tilted upward1y35 andthe safetyseatin contact with 110the ground to prevent any further upward movement of the tractor.

Fig. 9 is an outside view of one of the tractor drive wheels detachedfrom the tractor illustrating how the ten shoes are detachably securedto the wheel and removable from the outside thereof.

Fig. 10 is a face View of the wheel shown in Fig. 9, showing the gearhousing secured to the inside of the tractor wheel.

Fig. 11 is a side View of one of the tractor shoes detached from thewheel.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the shoe shown in Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a fragmental section on the line 13--13 of Fig. 9, showinghow the shoes are detachably secured by stud bolts in recesses on theoutside of the wheel and with the tread surfaces of the shoes overlyingthe tread surface'of the Wheel.

Fig. 14 is a fragmental section on the line 14-14 of Fig. 9 showing howthe gear casings are secured to the tractor drive wheel and also showinghow disk shields are held supported in the flanged opening to the gearcasings.

'I'he tractor includes a rectangular frame 10 having its rear endsupported by an axle 11 on which the drive wheels 12 and 112 are mountedand by which the tractor is driven. The front end of the frame 10 issupported in a suspended position by pairs of tread wheels 13 and 14that are mounted on arms 15 and` 16. The arms are integral withforwardly extending levers 17 that have their integral hubs 117pivotally mounted on spindles 18 that are secured on opposite sides ofthe frame 10 Yat points slightly in advance of the center of gravity ofthe tractor. On the forward end of each lever 17 there is slidablymounted a carrier wheel 19 that is forced forward by pairs of springs 20that are arranged to hold taut the endless track chains 21 and 121 thatare arranged at the sides of the frame and extend over the drive, treadand carrier wheels.

Each of the drive wheels 12, 112 is provided with flat faced shoes 22,ten in number, over which the pairs of endless track chains 21, 121 areextended.

The pairs of tread wheels 13 and 14 support the levers 17 so theynormally hold the carrier wheels 19 in position to carry the front endportions of the track chains 21 and 121 in suspended positions or out ofcontact with the ground. The top surface of the ground is indicated bythe line a-b in Figs. 1, 6, 7 and 8.

As indicated in Fig. 1, the tractor normally travels on four of thelinks of each of the track chains 21, 121, means being provided forlaying down more of the track shoes to increase tractional contact withthe ground when there is an excessive pull on the tractor draw-bar 23.

The front end of the frame 10 is carried in a suspended position so thatthe weight of the engine 24 is applied on the spindles 18 to force thechains under the pairs of tread wheels 13, 14 into very heavy tractionalcontact with the ground. In other words, the weight of the suspended endof the tractor is divided between the pair of tread wheels 13 and 14 toincrease the traction of the tractor with the largest part ofthe weightcarried by the tread wheels 13 when there is a heavy pulling strain onthe engine draw bar 23.

Also the lever 17 and its associated parts are mounted on the spindles18 so that when there is an excessive pull on the draw-bar 23 such as totilt the frame 10 upward, as best illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, theweight of the carrier wheel 19 and associated parts moves downward tocause more of the track chains 21 and 121 to frictionally contact withthe ground to thereby aid in resisting upward tilting of the frame. Itis obvious that at such a time the weight of the engine will aid inresisting the upward tilting of the frame.

As seen in the drawings, each link of the endless track chains hastransverse flanges 25, four of which, of each chain are in normalcontact with the ground. That is, the tractor is normally supported onnot more than about four of the links of each chain, or the portionsextending from the center of the drive wheels to the center of theforward tread wheels, the forward end portions of the track chains beingcarried out of contact with the ground, as previously indicated.

The flanges 25 are arranged transversely to their respective links sothey will enter the ground transversely to the travel of the tractor toincrease the traction thereof and have their ends rounded like sledrunners to facilitate the short turning of the tractor.

The increased traction of the tractor is further illustrated in Fig. 6,in which the frame isshown tilted upward about six degrees, whichpermits the levers 17 to move downwardly with their car-1 rier wheel tocause more of the flanges 25 of the track chains 21, 121 to contact withthe ground'.

In Fig. 7 this action of the tilting frame and lever is furtherillustrated, it being assumed that the frame has been tilted upwardlyten degrees by a pull on the draw-bar 23 so as to lift both sets of thetread wheels 13 and 14 out of contact with the tread chains so thelevers 17 will automatically move down by the weight of the chains andcarrier wheels and engage the lower forward portion of the chains withthe ground, as illustrated, thereby greatly increasing the traction ofthe tractor with the ground to resist the somersaulting movementthereof.

As illustrated in Fig. 8, a pull on the draw bar 66 that is sufficientto suddenly stop the forward movement of the tractor may cause its frontend to tilt upwardly as much as thirty-five Ydegrees where itssomersaulting movement will be stopped by the steel seat 26 at the rearof the tractor con--- tacting with the ground; and if, inadvertently,the tractor should be so tilted the rear tread wheels 13 will be movedby gravity into contact with their respective drive wheels l2, 112 andstop the downward arc movement of the levers 17 so that the treadchainsand associated parts forward of the drive wheels will be liftedfrom the ground to add their weight to resisting the somersaultingmovement of the tractor when suddenly stopped, as described.

In other words the weighted suspended front end of the frame and therocking levers and associated parts coact to resist excessive upwardtilt-` ing of the tractor; and the adjustable steel seat 26 acts as apositive stop to the somersaulting movement of the tractor in the eventthat the rst mentioned means is ineffective to prevent the tractor fromturning over backwards under excessive backward pulling strains.

The drive wheels 12 and 112 each includes a cast iron frame having tenflat peripheral surfaces 27 on which the tread shoes 22 are seated.These shoes have pairs of flanges 28 that are extended down intorecesses 29 in the outside rim portions of the wheels, and they aredetachably secured thereto by stud bolts 30, as best illustrated inFigs. 9 to 13, inclusive. i

In other words the recesses 29 are arranged so fes i than the length of:that the 'sucesos can be' v'placed on 'or'` detached ifrom'the wheelwhiledall'tlwre other partsjoi `the tractor remain assembled. That is;to' remove or 'replace ashoe 'ona driveivheel only'a pair of thestudbolts()` need be'rer'noved and replaced' to rearranged centrally ineach of the links of the track chains, `by"which means the 'track chainsA"are driven Vwhen thev drive wheels are rotated.

Thetooth 32`is integraliwithits respective link "and isarianged'opposite 'The drive lwheels are r to the tread iiange25.

ctate'd by pinions 33 on the transverse drive shaftsd'that extendoutwardly from the clutch housings 35 through the disk"mud-'guards 36into the gear `housings 37 e'that"arefsecured to` the inside 'of thedrive wheels ved in the ,openings to the gea tensions 136`from the framer housings'37 by ex- 10, as diagrammaticauy 'illustrated in thedrawings.

The shafts "3 4 their associated parts Aare constructed'alike and bothdrive mechanisms are `connected to the'engi'ne 24 through the reversedave;

'The engine 24 is housing 4i), as bestillustrated in Fig. 2.

` t diagrammatically illustrated lin Fig. '2 and is shown with the usualian 41that is in V'driving connection with the engine shaft 42 bybeltan'd pulleys 43. connected to the driveA LiOvin the usual Way as byall The shaft 42 can be mechanism in the housing slip 'splinedj jointLi5 diagrammatically shown 1n the drawings.

A transverse shaft 49'is shown by dotted lines in Fie-"2 as extendingthe i housing-40 in to engagement with the in the housing 4o. Thedrawbars 58 that iare Acl oper

on opposite sides of thejclutch housing 35 into Clutches 57 larm 50 isprovided ,for shitting Also a crank the mechanism tches 57 are set byated `from a center steering post 59 through the lever 60 and bellcranks 6l.

The

detailed construction o f this clutch mechanism' and control is'shownand described in detail in my copending application for United StatesLetters Patent on a clutch, Serial Number 361,998, filed May 10, 1929,now Patent No.

1,915,772 dated June 27, 1933.

These clutches are constructed and operated so that the drive wheels 12,

112 can be rotated together or independently of one another, and atdiierent speeds to facilitate turning of the tractor.

By a proper manipulation the guiding and of the crank arm 50 andsteering post 59 the tractor can be turned around in a circle than thelength of the tractor 12 or 112 can be used as a having a radius that isless Either drive wheel pivot on which the tractor can be turned, asillustrated in Fig. 5.

When c of the wheel l2 is tractor is turned in either by the arrow d,the

the pivot on which the direction as indicated radius e of the circle fis less the tractor as indicated by the frame lines r. The same is truewhen m of the wheel 112 is the pivot and the tractor is turned in thecircle n in either direction as indicated by the arrow o. The radius 1'of the circle n is less than the length of the tractor.

When the tractor is being turned in the circle f the wheel 12 is heldstationary relative to rotation but moves in an arc around the pivot c,at

which time the tread chain tionary relative to rotation 21 is also heldstaand moves around l to slidefaijoiin'd in"thear"cs tQ-'ufandyfasillustrated in fFig.j5 I

Itis obvious "that when the wheel 1 12 is dijii/ en to' `eiiectijlieturning "above described' the ilarigs 25 of its ehainim Win'nangeposiuon 'ndi ajadition' t'oirotary movementtheywill y f 'ingfar'csas diagrammatically illustratdin It is'also obvious thatwhenmisthefpivoton 'which the 'tractor is' turned 'thatthe `ijlan 'of the chains `1.2 1will ,be actuated inthe manner as the anges'oftheclain `21,"as abovedescribed. a "firearms 15 and rsf'tnefokigjiervefs '17 have'extensions'62'with transverse flanges '65 to wnin themas-guards 64 'are "secured,as 'best 'shown'in Fig. d. The purpose'of'thesefguardsis to kpthodit'fiomthe trackohis arid-tread wheels.V i a v f `frire links' 'of thetread chains 21,121,l haver 'ituaiaauy'extending fiaag'es'cs that regirn1c to travel vbetween the pairs of Vtread :whehsgto preventthechainsirom slipping oitietrad wheels when turning. y l

riihe tractor 4is provided with adraw bar '23 that is pivotally'connected to a traveling plate es that can move in an areporai11tatetneftujning of the tractor when pulling a gang-plow, diskharrovv or like implement. The Pleiadi. .hasgii'de i911@ permit it temore, ijn` as arson the. 'Qurvsdter 6 9 that is securedto the rear endci the frame l0 3S @Si SDOWUQ Eig.-

The engine 2t isprovid dwith'the usual hood 70, redieirilsndsasisilllThe seat 26 is `adjustable n by means 0i. bolts 1.1.2.6 `and a pluralityof bolt `holes 226 in thesteel sides of the tracwr. --.es .Shewn d..grammaiiallr.. in Fis .a the drivineend. Steering Primer. housings andihejirame provided ritira Steel. f lOQlB and., Sdseusfds. 74 suthatthedriver is fully protected when on the steel safety seat 26. It isobvious that he could not be injured by the driving mechanism or easilyjarred off the seat when operating the tractor.

In operation the tractor is driven as fully described in thespecification and is controlled by the crank arm 50 and steering post59; and in the respect of increasing the tractional contact of the trackchains as the pull on the draw bar increases the mechanism foraccomplishing that result operates automatically.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A tractor including a frame, a draw-bar connected thereto, drivewheels supporting the rear end of said frame, spindles secured to saidframe slightly in advance of its center of gravity, rocking levershaving their rear ends pivotally mounted on said spindles, tread wheelsconnected to said rocking levers that support the forward end portion ofsaid frame in a suspended position, endless track chains on which saidtread and drive wheels travel, an engine mounted 0n the suspended end ofsaid frame so its Weight is applied to resist the upward tilting of saidframe when excessive pulling strains on said draw bar cause the frontend of said frame to move upward, said levers arranged to moveoppositely to the upward tilting or' said frame to lay down more of saidchains into tractional contact with iits ist

in front of the center of movement of said frame.

2. A tractor including a frame, drive wheels supporting the rear endthereof, spindles secured to the sides of said frame slightly in advanceof its center of gravity, rocking levers in a suspended position,carrier wheels at the front ends of said rocking levers, endless trackchains on which said tread wheels, carrier and drive wheels travel, saidrocking levers arranged to normally hold the front end portions of saidtrack chains out of contact with the ground, an engine mounted on thesuspended end of said main frame so its weight is applied to resistupward tilting of the front end of said frame, a driving connectionbetween said engine and drive wheels, said rocking levers arranged sothat when there is a pulling strain on the draw bar of said tractor suchas to raise the front end of said frame and said tread wheels saidrocking levers will move ony their spindles to lower said carrier wheelsand thereby lay down more of said endless track chains into tractionalcontact with the ground for the purpose of resisting the upward tiltingof the front end of said frame.

3. A tractor including a frame, driving wheels mounted near the rear endof said frame, spindles'secured to said frame, hubs pivotally mounted onsaid spindles, forwardly extending levers having their rear endsintegral with said hubs, downwardly extending arms having their upperends integral with said levers, pairs of tread wheels connected tof thelower ends of said arms that are arranged to support the front end ofsaid frame in a suspended position, an engine on the suspended end ofsaid frame arranged so its weight will have a tendency to cause saidtractor to nose downwardly, and a driving connection between said engineand drive wheels.

4. A tractor including a frame, drive wheels mounted on the rear end ofsaid frame, spindles secured to the sides of said frame slightly gravityof said tractor,

1,964,779 zthe ground and to also resist the upward tilting hubspivotally mounted on said spindles, forwardly extending levers havingtheir rear ends ends integral with said lever, pairs of tread wheelspivotally connected to said arms that are arranged to support theforward end of said frame will have a tendency to cause said tractor tonose downward and apply the weight thereof to said and 5. A tractorincluding a frame, drive wheels mounted on the rear end of said frame,spindles secured to the sides of said frame slightly in front of thecenter of gravity of said tractor, rocking levers pivotally pairs oftread wheels pivotally connected to arms on said rocking levers tosupport the forward end of said frame in a suspended position, an enginearranged on the suspended end of said frame so levers for normallyportions of said endless track chains out of contact with the ground.

6. A tractor having a frame, a draw bar connected thereto, a pair ofdrive wheels supporting the rear end of said frame, internal gearssecured to said wheels, tread wheels supporting the front end of saidframe so it is in a suspended position, an engine mounted on thesuspended end of said frame so its weight will have a tendency to resista pull on said draw bar, pinions in mesh with said internal gears thatare an arc with said frame, and a driving connection between saidpinions and engine.

GEORGE J. ZIEGLER` mounted on said spindles,

